New Update Will Bring Self-Driving Feature In Tesla Model S
Tesla Motors will be releasing an over-the-air update for its Model S sedan that will bring autonomous-driving functionality, Elon Musk said in a statement. The update should arrive within three months.
Initially, the announced update will provide an automatic-steering capability that will let drivers travel hands-free for certain lengths of a trip. The company has been testing the feature on a route from San Fransisco to Seattle "without the driver touching any controls at all," Musk said.
"It is technically capable of going from parking lot to parking lot. But we won't be enabling that [specific capability] for users with this hardware suite, because we don't think it's likely to be safe in suburban neighborhoods," Musk added.
"There's certainly an expectation that when autopilot on the Model S is enabled, that you're paying attention," he said. "But it should also take care of you if you have moments of distraction."
As of now, the self-driving features are illegal and owners of the sedan might now be able to use it on the open highway or on their personal property.
"It's not going to all transition immediately," Musk told Nvidia CEO Jen-Hsen Huang during an on-stage interview Tuesday. "It's going to take a while."
